Following the rejection of a clemency appeal for Muhammad Ridzuan Ali, who is due to hang tomorrow, anti-death penalty activists have submitted a petition to President Tony Tan to request a stay of execution for the convicted drug courier.

Well known human rights activist Mr Ravi drafted the petition in his capacity as the founder of the Singaporean Anti Death Penalty Campaign (SADP) and with the support of a list of other human rights organizations in Asia.

In his petition, Ravi argued that there are 2 cases pending in Malaysian courts involving 2 other inmates in Singapore and their treatment by the legal system here. Lawyers for the 2 are asking the courts there to compel the Malaysian government to take the cases to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Because their cases are still pending before Malaysian courts, Singapore should not execute Ridzuan as their outcome will have an impact on Ridzuan's case.

Prior handing the petition to President Tony Tan, Ravi wrote on Facebook about his reasons for seeking a stay of execution for Ridzuan:

"The impending execution of Ridzuan which is scheduled at 6am on Friday is unlawful under article 9(1) of the Singapore Constitution and such planned execution is also in breach of customary international law. As you are aware , two Malaysians,namely, Prabagaran and Datchinamurthy are currently facing executions in Singapore for drug trafficking. The have challenged their death sentences in the Malaysian High Court on the ground of breach of fair trial under international law . The matter is now before the Malaysian Court of Appeal. If they succeed in their applications and if the matter ultimately reaches the International Court of justice (ICJ) with a positive outcome, Ridzuan would no longer be alive to benefit from the aforesaid positive outcome. We always hope for the best bearing in mind that death penalty is irreversible.

In light of the aforesaid, Article 9(1) of Singapore constitution is engaged which says that no one shall be deprived of his life...save in accordance with law. This must mean that it is the duty of the Attorney General to advise the President and the Cabinet to stay Ridzuan's execution pending the outcome of the legal proceedings in Malaysia which involves the same questions of unfair trial in Ridzuan's case. If the Singapore government has decided to wait for the outcome of the decision in the Malaysian Courts in respect of Prabagaran and Datchinamurthy ,they must then stay the execution of Ridzuan tomorrow.

I have alerted my international networks and our Malaysian counterparts to protest against this unlawful execution of Ridzuan ( and Jeffrey) .I have been working round the clock on a complaint to the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Extra Judicial Killings and Summary Executions.

By midnight, I would ask the intervention of the United Nations to halt this unlawful execution and to take necessary actions against the Singapore state. Singapore could potentially face prosecution in the International Criminal Courts for crime against humanity if it proceeds with another unlawful execution ( as Jeffrey's execution on 22 April was also unlawful) though Singapore is not party to the Rome Statute.

I urge everyone to stand up and join me in this protest as Rizduan is also our brother (regardless of the crime that he has committed )He deserves to be treated equally like Prabagaran and Datchinamurthy and he therefore faces further denial of his constitutional rights under Article 12 of the Singapore Constitution that guarantees equality of treatment before the law. His execution must therefore be stayed and the AG must advise the Cabinet and the President urgently on this matter to stay the execution pending the outcome of the Malaysian proceedings as set out above."